From the Ashes
by Seiichi-Le
Summary: " Just like Sakura, Sasuke didn't need to look to know what was carved. All that read on the black monument was a single name and a single line." That's it, that's the excerpt I'm giving you. Read and enjoy. Warnings: Shounen Ai


Author's Note: I am making up my own timeline. Not exactly sure where this story would be plausible, but um... Yeah. So don't try to fit it into the actually series, unless you really want to. I'm not stopping you. Oh, as a side note, there is shounen ai. You've been warned.

**ooooo**

"Baa-chan." The tone of his voice was despondent yet determined, sending shivers down her spine. She clenched her fists, her body trembling from the pressure she was holding in. She knew what was coming next, and after trying to prepare herself for this moment, she still hadn't considered it coming so soon. "It's… " A hesitation, a breath, a rigid stance. "Okay. I promise."

Without even looking, she knew the half-hearted smile on the other's face. She knew they didn't reach his eyes, knew the haunted look that grew in those eyes over time. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her mind, but she refused to look up. "It's already time, isn't it?"

A deafening silence filtered through the room, as if both occupants were still comprehending the situation, trying to delay it as much as possible. "Hai."

The sudden screeching from the chair against the hardwood floor felt like nails on a chalkboard in the once silent room. He tensed from the noise, but didn't get a chance to relax when he felt strong arms around his frame. He wanted to reassure her and tell her that nothing would change, even though it would've been a lie. Everything was going to change because it had to change. Instead, he simply returned the hug and with one last reassuring squeeze, they parted. He strolled over to the desk, his composure relaxed and resolved. His fingers gently danced over the smooth curves and dried paint, before lifting the mask. It was the face of a bird, painted white with a line of scarlet playing across the forehead down to the tip of the beak. A border of black then red surrounded the eye holes and dashes of red littered the chin like stripes. He smiled at her choice, before fitting it onto his face. Even with the mask, it was still him, she reassured herself. Those eyes pierced through the mask, familiar, powerful, deadly, yet so kind.

"Fits like a second skin." He looked over at the women, a hidden smile playing out over his hidden lips.

"It looks good on you," she felt a stirring in her heart when she saw that kindness in those endless eyes. It was because of that kindness. And it was because of what was hidden behind it. "I guess… this is goodbye… Naruto."

'_Is it really?'_ She wanted to ask, but the question never made it past her lips.

"Hai… Hokage-sama." He bowed in respect, his wild golden hair twisting from behind the mask from the movement. It was then she finally took in their situation. And his presence was no longer in the room, just the hint of an ocean breeze that was his scent alone. She could feel the tears pricking at her eyes, but she willed them away and took in a deep breath.

'_Now is not the time to get emotional_, she reprimanded herself. _I'm the Hokage, after all. I've been through worse_.' She smiled sadly, wondering how things would go from here. _'He's been through worse. And this is his for his sake as much as mine.'_

"Well, I have a job to do." With that resolve, she stood and followed through with the preparations.

**ooooo**

"Sasuke-kun!" The loud voice of his teammate awoke him from his reverie. He stood up from his place on the bridge, brushing off any dust that had settled on his legs. "Sasuke-kun, there you are!"

The cheerful smile of his teammate did nothing for his mood. For some reason, today he felt a strange pressure on his body. It wasn't anything physical weighing down on him, that he knew.

"Sakura." He nodded at her arrival, ignoring the small blush that glowed across her cheeks. After years of being teammates with the woman, he had grown to acknowledge her skills and respect her as the kunoichi she was now. That didn't mean he was completely comfortable around her, however.

"Ah, chirpy as always, aren't we, Sakura-chan?" Their teacher smiled from behind his book, as he walked towards his two students from the opposite side of the bridge. "Sasuke, you could learn to lighten up a bit as well."

"Hn." Sasuke grunted in response, used to the morning routine of how his team conversed. And then it hit him again, as if he was waiting for something more. He quickly disregarded the feeling and continued walking along with his teammate and teacher, who had continued to have an amiable chat about the reconstruction work that had been going on around the village.

After the war that had lasted four years ended, each nation took a devastating blow and, in a mutual agreement, all the nations signed a treaty. The treaty allowed the nations to start their reconstruction in peace, as well as claiming equal responsibilities of the reconstruction of the smaller villages. Any missions concerning shinobi were restricted to delivering information, helping with the reconstruction, or escorting merchants and civilians between borders. Even with the peace that had settled around them, the lingering feeling of danger would never leave.

Team 7 had been summoned for a mission by the Hokage, which was their current destination. Sasuke glanced ahead of them, taking in the view of the Hokage monument. His eyes locked with the stone eyes of Sandaime Hokage. He fondly remembered the Third's smile when he looked on at their graduation and became genin, like a grandfather watching his grandchildren with pride. Then his eyes skimmed over the next one, the Fourth. The solemn look and the spiky hair seemed to come alive before his eyes. He had never met the Fourth – he was only a baby when the untimely death of the Fourth came – but for some reason, he knew the hair would've been a near bleached golden hue that challenged the sun, and the eyes were blue. Not just any blue, however, but the kind where you didn't know if they were real. They were so clear like a cloudless sky but deeper than any ocean that existed. It was a blue he felt like he missed, but that was a strange thought. Once the monument left his view, those thoughts dissipated as well.

"Iruka-sensei!" The cheerful voice of Sakura once again penetrated the walls, leaving behind a pleasant atmosphere in the room.

"Hi Sakura-chan, Sasuke." The chuunin smiled up at his two former students, and then nodded a greeting to the silver-haired jounin, who returned the gesture with a smiling curved eye before he resumed reading his book. Sasuke returned the greeting as well with a simple nod. "Here is your mission for today, a C-rank."

"Hai, Arigato, Iruka-sen-" The doors to the Hokage's office swung open, and an angry blond woman stomped out with her hand raising her right sleeve where a clenched fist resided. Beside her stood a fair-skinned woman with black hair and matching black eyes, who was trying her hardest to keep a calm smile on her face, but the twitch of her eye spoke different. A sigh managed to escape her lips. After all these years, the Hokage's behavior still managed to cause her composure to waver, but at least she was getting used to these mood swings. Whether that was good or bad, she wasn't too sure.

"Godaime Hokage, you should know how he is," Shizune tried to placate the angry blonde, but the effort came too late when the appearance of another made itself known.

"Phoenix, you're late!" The Hokage yelled out her rage, before taking a deep breath and letting it out, as if all her anger had resided in her lungs.

"Hai, hai, Hokage-sama. Gomen nasai." Everyone could feel the smile behind the mask. Before them, stood an ANBU, obviously male from the deeper tone of his voice and body figure, who was leisurely leaning against one leg as if unaware of the deathglare directed his way. However, unlike most ANBU around the tower, this one wore a black cape and hood that had been dirtied up from use, dulled in color from going through many washes and had seen better days with some small tears and patches here and there. This was someone who was definitely experienced. Realizing the audience they had created, the Hokage ushered the ANBU into her room and Shizune closed the doors behind them. Once the doors closed, life outside the Hokage office resumed, no one giving a second thought to the usual occurrence between that particular ANBU and their Hokage.

"Phoenix again, huh." Iruka sighed, shaking his head slightly. "He never learns. Reminds me of a certain someone…" Iruka trailed off, making sure his gaze didn't fall on a particular jounin.

"Did you say something?" Kakashi 's single curved eye stared directly in the path of the scarred man. A giggle escaped the lips of the pink-haired kunoichi at the antics of her former teacher and her current one.

"Anyway, here you go." Iruka handed over the scroll to Team 7, and they went about their way. It was a simple mission, hunt down some wild boars for the upcoming festival. It would help lift the spirits of the village and provide food – two birds, one stone.

**ooooo**

"Done!" Sakura exclaimed happily, as she finished tying the last boar for them to carry back.

"Well done, you two," Kakashi commented, before ruffling the heads of the two as if they were children again.

"Hey, we're not kids anymore," Sakura said in mock-anger. She ran a hand through her hair, fixing the strands that Kakashi had messed up before readjusting her headband. She looked up, noticing the monument nearby. She ran a few steps ahead of the other two and stopped in front of the black marble, using one hand to brush away the leaves that had piled up on top of it. Her fingers gently skimmed across the carved words, her emerald eyes following. She didn't need to see to know what was written there; words she had already memorized. She felt a soft pang in her chest, but at the same time, it was as if she was enveloped in warmth. It was strange, but being near this monument was definitely calming.

The steps of the other two stopped behind her, a serene silence enveloping the three. A soft wind brushed past them, swaying the flowers nearby, allowing them to kiss the hard black surface. Kakashi knelt down and grabbed a handkerchief from one of his pockets, gently wiping away the dust that had built up from all the construction work nearby. A tender look filled his lone visible eye, something not missed by his two students.

Sasuke stared at the cold black surface. Unlike Sakura and Kakashi, he found no comfort by this monument. If anything, the pang in his chest that he had felt before came back and was more like a stab now, an uncomfortable sensation that left him breathless. Just like Sakura, Sasuke didn't need to look to know what was carved.

All that read on the black monument was a single name and a single line:

Uzumaki Naruto. Died as a Child, a Loved One, and a Hero.

**ooooo**

The loud roars of laughter and the savory smells of the vendor grills sent a wave of happiness across the village. The festival was about to begin. Each year, Sasuke contemplated about changing out of his yukata, back into his pajamas and heading straight back to bed. It wasn't like he didn't appreciate the meaning behind the festival, but the noise and the drunken fools that he was sure his friends would become by the end of night didn't sound all that appealing. For some reason or another, he didn't want to bother leaving his house on this day each year. He sighed, knowing it would be pointless. Any minute now, Sakura and the others would show up at his door and drag him along for the festivities.

"Sasuke-kun!" Sometimes, he hated being so right. With a heavy sigh – a common occurrence as of late – he dragged his body up and opened the door to be greeted with the cheerful smiles of his comrades. "Ready, Sasuke-kun?"

The question was rhetorical, really. Even if he said no, the pink-haired kunoichi would've pulled him straight out the door anyways. Resigning himself to his fate, Sasuke trudged after the boisterous group, settling beside the only one who seemed to want to go home and curl up into bed as well.

"Ma, ma, how troublesome," Shikamaru mumbled beside him, hands deep in his pockets and slouched down with a humped back.

"Hn," Sasuke managed to respond in agreement, as if it was too troublesome to even speak. The two merely followed after the others, glancing around every now and then at the various festival activities.

"You guys need to enjoy yourself move!" Ino playfully scolded, before dragging Sakura away to buy some sweet snacks. Choji was already munching down on some barbeque, while Kiba was trying to see how red Hinata's cheeks could get after teasing her about her crush, while the shy girl tried to ignore him, sneaking glances at Shino with every chance she could get.

"What great youthful spirit!" The familiar shout of a certain green-clad shinobi filtered through the noise of the festival. Beside him stood Neji and Tenten, the former nodded in greeting.

"Hi guys!" Tenten smiled, before strolling off to greet Sakura and Ino, showing them a new scroll she had just purchased.

"Sasuke. Shikamaru." Neji bowed his head slightly, before walking in sync with the two, ignoring the exuberant yells from his overly-excited teammate. Sasuke nodded in greeting, before his eyes rested on the many families lingering about at the various stands. Before, he would have felt the loneliness and envy creep up on him, but those feelings began to fade ever since he started meeting more frequently with this group. It was true that he felt more at ease, but he knew those feelings would never go away completely. It was just something he would have to live with.

"Hinata-chan, would you like something?" Neji gestured to the jewelry stand, as he stood beside his cousin. Somewhere over the years, Neji had become more and more like a brother to Hinata.

"N-no, but thank you, anyways," Hinata blushed slightly, before beaming up at her cousin.

"Here."A hand holding out a sweet sticky rice snack was pushed in front of Hinata's face. Her trailed up to see who the owner was and widened when they came into contact with the circular frames of Shino.

"Th-thank you," she managed to mumble out, before accepting the food. She looked away, trying to keep her reddening face out of view.

"Come on, Hinata-chan," Neji growled out, grabbing his cousin's hand and pulling her away.

"Overprotective much?" Ino smirked, knowing how protective Neji had become of Hinata over the years. It was as if he was making up for all the years when he had been cold to the kunoichi. "Father Neji doesn't want to marry off his only daughter!"

"Ino!" Sakura scolded her blond friend, but couldn't stop the smile that danced across her face.

"Maa, so troublesome," Shikamaru let out another sigh, before following after his friends, most of them laughing while one was silent, one was blushing and another was fuming.

Shaking his head, Sasuke had a feeling this night was going to end badly.

**ooooo**

A large stage had been set up in the center of Konoha to showcase the different acts from both shinobi and civilians alike. A hush began to spread across the crowd, as the Hokage made her way to the podium set up in the center of the stage.

"As we all know, this day commemorates when the nine-tailed demon fox, Kyuubi, was no longer a threat to our people through the sacrifice of one child, Uzumaki Naruto," the Hokage began, a glazed look passing quickly over her eyes that would've been overlooked by normal onlookers. A solemn silence took over the crowd in respect for their fallen hero. "Because of his sacrifice, we no longer have to fear. We now have the strength and courage to realize our own potential. Because of him…" Tsunade paused, staring out softly at her people before her eyes hardened with determination. "We know what it means to be a citizen of Konoha. And for that, we hold this festival in his honor."

The chatter started out softly like the calm before the storm. Hushes swept across the ground, an anxious feeling filled the air. "To Uzumaki Naruto! The Hero of Konoha!" The Hokage's voice bellowed across the crowd, echoing in the mix of loud cheers as streamers blasted off and fireworks shot up to light up the once dark sky.

Smiles blossomed across the faces of all the villagers as the festival commenced into full swing, music blaring through the air as the stage was littered with skilled dancers and shinobi, displaying their skills with perfection.

Sasuke sighed, not caring for the festivities at the moment. A heavy feeling settled at the bottom of his stomach from the speech their Hokage had made. His body felt like liquid metal had been injected into his veins and had hardened. The laughter from his friends was drowned out from the pounding in his head. He felt like he couldn't breathe. He needed to get away.

"Sasuke? Are you okay?" He wasn't sure who had asked the question, his head was spinning.

"I just need some fresh air… need to get away from this noise," He muttered out, before standing up sloppily and forcing his feet to move him away. There was no way he was going to display himself like this in front of the others. His head swayed with each step, his eyes unable to focus on the world around him. With staggered steps and mumbled apologizes for bumping into other festival goers, Sasuke slumped down to the ground, his hands bracing his fall. Sweat dripped down his brow and his breathing was ragged. It was the same feeling he got when he trained during his days off, only there was a throbbing pain in his head and the usually subtle ache in his chest had made itself well known now. Gasping for another breath, Sasuke peered up from the bangs that had fallen and stuck to his forehead and noticed a pair of shoes. And in that pair of shoes were two legs filling them. He closed his eyes tightly, clenching his fists in the dirt.

'_Damn it,'_ Sasuke berated himself for not sensing the presence of another and letting himself be seen in this condition. His pride felt like it was crumbling from within, but the pain easily ebbed those thoughts away. _'Get up, Uchiha!'_

The silence around him continued. He dared to take another look, noticing that the other had not moved and, in fact, was not facing him. He lifted his head higher, ignoring the pain that shook through his head. The black fabric of the uniform clung tightly to the sturdy frame, enough where the lines of muscled definition could be traced even in the dark. The vivid yet used white of the rest of the uniform stood out like moonlight, while the sunkissed skin glowed in a way where the touch of it was sure to be hot. But none of that mattered. It was the hair, as if an entity of its own, swaying like a waltz with the wind. It was finding gold in the dark caverns below; it was watching the very last bit of sun set in the ink sky; it was a smile in the rain.

'_So warm,'_ was all Sasuke could think.

The other raised his head to the sky, as if looking for an answer in the stars. Then the head turned, allowing the gleam of white to hit Sasuke's vision first. At first glance, the white of the mask was brilliant, the scarlet red looked almost alive and the black melted with the shadows. But the more he looked, the more he noticed the chips and scratches, and the one large scar marred across one eye hole and across the nose. But that wasn't even the most startling part. It was those eyes. A flash of the Hokage monument crossed his eyes.

"Blue," Sasuke whispered out so quietly, he was sure the other hadn't caught it. His lips pursed closed, not wanting another slip. What was that blue? He remembered it, somewhere deep down, he knew that blue. It was pure, lonely, scarred, and kind. It was a blue he had seen in his dreams, the same blue he could see when he closed his eyes. It was the blue that haunted him. The pain in his chest throbbed and his head spin once more for another bout of motion sickness.

"Are you okay?" The voice was trained, but concerned. That voice was rich and heavy, a husky overtone of experience and exhaustion. But there was a smooth undertone that carried innocence in it like a decadent chocolate melt spilling softly against white silk. It sent shivers down Sasuke's spine.

He felt the other kneel down, but the distance still felt far. Sasuke breathed out, not realizing when he had held it in. "H-Hai," Sasuke mumbled, eyes trained to the eyes of the other, searching in them but finding nothing.

"Can you stand?" That bittersweet chocolate voice of the other wrapped him up in a way he couldn't explain.

Sasuke nodded, not wishing to stutter again. He forced himself up, his arms giving him a final push upward but he felt his knees buckle. The impact that was sure to come never did. He felt the warm arms of the other wrapped around him, holding him almost preciously.

"Careful." He could hear the smile in the tone while trying to push off the other. It wasn't much of a struggle, the other man letting go of him easily. Sasuke supported his weight against a nearby rock, as he tried to shake off the dizziness in his head. When his senses seemed to somewhat stabilize, his hand felt the familiar cold surface. Without even looking, he knew that it wasn't a rock that was supporting him.

He knew that cold black surface, rough at the top and smooth at the front. He knew the words carved at the face. It was the grave that was set up in the honor of Konoha's hero. It was more of a memorial than a grave, though. The body hadn't been buried here. In fact, the body hadn't been buried at all. No one but the Hokage and a select few knew where the body was hidden. They had to hide the location because there were plenty of enemies and power hungry people who would look for the body to try to extract the nine-tailed demon. Even though that would be impossible since the Kyuubi died with the boy, there would still be those who would still seek the body.

The ANBU sauntered over to the memorial before kneeling down. He leaned forward and placed a soft kiss along the words. It startled Sasuke slightly, but the action seemed so natural. It was then Sasuke noticed that the other male was actually shorter and slightly slimmer than him. The mask hid his face, but he couldn't have been much older than the Uchiha.

"I come here every year to pay my respects," the other spoke, but it didn't feel like it was directed at him. "This stone… is beautiful, ne?" The ANBU mask faced him, blue eyes curving into a smile. "Kind of like your eyes."

Sasuke could feel heat well up in him, his body felt like it was slowly burning up. He brought his hand to his face, feeling the warmth radiating from his cheek. Was he really blushing? The feeling was so unfamiliar, he blushed deeper from not realizing it. Laughter escaped the lips of the ANBU, a bit raspy as if the other hadn't laughed in a long time.

"This can't be your first time being complimented, Sasuke." The Uchiha could feel the grin behind the mask. He clenched his fists, wishing to tear that white mask off so he could stare down at the man face to face.

"How do you know my name?" Being the one surviving Uchiha, his name and face was pretty well known, so it wouldn't really surprise him if the other knew him. But for some reason, Sasuke yearned for the conversation to keep going.

"The famous Uchiha? Of course I would know you." Even from this short conversation, Sasuke found himself expecting that answer that fulfilled the question but didn't move the conversation anywhere.

"You know me, but I don't know you. Who are you?" Again, that urge to continue the talk flowed through Sasuke inexplicably.

The ANBU's head tilted to the side in amusement, before pointing a finger at the mask on his face. "Phoenix. Like my mask."

"Hn." That wasn't enough for Sasuke. He knew the ANBU were given pseudonyms to protect their identities and 'Phoenix' was definitely not a name given to one at birth. But there was no way this ANBU would give his real name. It was the only way the ANBU could protect themselves and their loved ones.

'_Wait…'_ The image of a cloaked figure popped into his mind, the ragged black cape and hood hanging loosely off his body while an angry blond Hokage yelled. _'That's right, she called that ANBU Phoenix too. So this guy in front of me is that idiot.' _

"Hmph, it's not nice to call people idiots, Sasuke-kun," The ANBU whined, feigning hurt. But the eyes behind the mask curved back into a smile from the other's bewildered look. "You're easier to read than you think."

"Hn, Dobe." Sasuke froze, the word lingering on his lips still. Something wasn't right, yet it felt so familiar. The pain in his head pounded, the pain in his chest flared. He missed the intense look in those blue eyes before he was swept away into unconsciousness.

**ooooo**

"_Oi, Teme!" The voice growled out at him in challenge, a strange mixture of serious and playful. "If I win, you have to buy me as much ramen as I want at Ichiraku!" _

_He opened his eyes, but the world around him was in fog. He squinted his eyes, but the haze stayed. "Hn. And what do I get if I win?" That was his voice, yet it sounded so foreign. He had no control over the use of his lips, as if the events taking place were pre-scripted. _

"_Hmm… well, what do you want?" Even through this strange mist, he knew the other had that childish look splayed across his face with a hand to his chin in a thoughtful pose. _

"_You have to do whatever I say for a day," his voice spoke out again, a bit more recognizable. _

"_Wh-what?!" The one before him stumbled backwards a bit, taken back by the comment. He managed to catch himself before he fell down completely. He knew his face would be red right now, while fruitlessly trying to tame down the furious blush that spreads across both cheeks and the bridge of his nose. "F-fine." _

"_You ready," He could feel his lips curl into a smirk, a fire of excitement igniting within him. "Dobe?" _

**ooooo**

"Sasuke! Sasuke-kun!" His head felt so heavy. He tried to keep it balanced upwards, but it would sway to the left or right. His entire body was heavy, in fact. His muscles felt tight, but he didn't recall working out recently. In fact, they haven't had any draining missions since the war had ended. So why was his entire body sore? "Sasuke-kun!"

"Sakura, I don't think yelling is helping anyone," the lazy voice of their teacher spoke up from nearby, sounding more concern than he was accustomed to.

"Don't worry, Sakura. They said Sasuke was fine, just needed some rest is all." Ino's reassurance seemed to calm the pink-haired woman down. "He doesn't look like he's going to wake up anytime soon. How about we go out for a bit? Get some fresh air, maybe find something to eat."

"But-"

"Hospital food isn't that great, and you do owe me for buying that new hair clip when you ran out of cash yesterday!"

"Hai, hai." Sakura sighed, but the smile in her voice was evident. The walking footsteps of the two kunoichi drifted from his room. He definitely had to give Ino credit. She was one who could definitely read people well, even when they were supposedly unconscious.

"She left, Sasuke. You can open your eyes now." The jounin closed his book, standing at the foot of the bed. Sasuke slowly opened his eyes, hissing from the pain of the bright sunlight flowing through the open window. He flexed his hands, trying out his muscles. The pain had settled down to a dull ache, but the migraine wouldn't go away. "Want to tell me what happened?"

Kakashi was never one to be so straightforward in a conversation. Most of the time, he liked to play it so the other participant would end up spilling everything after he talked in circles. It was a game of patience for his teacher's amusement, Sasuke assumed.

"Phoenix." He could almost feel the raised eyebrow of the jounin. "He was there." He figured he would start there, since he himself was still trying to gather his thoughts together to make some semblance of sense. He wasn't sure on the connecting events from the festival to this hospital room.

"That certainly explains how you ended up at the hospital," the sarcastic voice of the Hokage resounded across the small room. Sasuke used the little strength he had to spare to push himself up into a sitting position and bowed his head in greeting. Tsunade gave a stern, motherly look that scolded Sasuke for trying to sit up. "Vocal as always, aren't you? How are you feeling, Sasuke?"

"I'd say it could be worse, but I'm not so sure." Tsunade's smile was somewhat strained, although Sasuke had to really look to notice it.

"Kakashi, can you bring this scroll to Shizune? I forgot to deliver it to her before I came here." An understanding passed between the two, before Kakashi bowed and escorted himself out.

'Shizune is always with her since the reconstruction commenced, so that's probably unlikely… so this is something she can't say in front of Kakashi?' Sasuke wasn't sure why the Hokage showed up before him, but with the way he has been feeling lately, he felt like there was something she was hiding.

"What happened before you collapsed?" The stern look on her face was only distorted by the faraway look in her eyes. She was asking him a question, but her thoughts were definitely somewhere else.

"I was talking to Phoenix," Sasuke began, recalling the events from last night slowly in case something in those memories would cause him to black out again. "It wasn't for very long."

"How many encounters have you had with him?" Tsunade shot the question out quickly, hands clenched in the sheets of the bed.

Startled from the reaction, Sasuke regained his composure quickly, berating himself about his lack of control over his outward emotions. "Just that once."

Tsunade leaned back, letting out a sigh. "Is that all?" She ran a hand through her overflowing blonde hair. "So what triggered the sudden collapse? There haven't been any real hard missions lately. Have you been training too much or something?"

"My… head's been feeling a bit… weird. Like a strange pressure. And my chest… it hurts." If he couldn't confide this information in the Hokage, an experienced and well-known medic-nin, then who could he tell? "I don't know… if something's wrong with me."

"Your head and chest…?" Tsunade's eyes widened, before narrowing her eyes down at the man before her. "Sasuke, I want you to recall the exact moment before you collapsed. Was Phoenix still there? Did he do anything strange?"

'Strange? What is she getting at?' Sasuke was unsure as to what an ANBU he had only met once had to do with his body's strange behavior. Nonetheless, he tried to recall the events of yesterday again, fast forwarding past his time at the festival. He and Phoenix had been merely conversing for a short time near the memorial site and he had called him-

"Dobe." The word startled both occupants, resonating in both minds. "I called him 'Dobe'."

And once more, the darkness overtook him.

**ooooo**

"_T-teme! You cheated!" He felt the accusing finger pointing in his direction and his character in all this was definitely pleased. _

"_Tch, it's not like we had set any ground rules. That meant anything goes, right?" _

"_Hmph!" Even if he couldn't see it, there was a definitely pout on the other's face. _

"_Dobe." _

"_Don't call me that!" _

_A smirk made its way to his lips. He could taste the sweetness of the victory, but an apprehension slowly grew in him. "Don't forget the bet." _

"_Hai, hai." The blurred figure stood up, brushing at his pant legs, before crossing his arms over his chest. "So what do you want me to do?" _

_He paused for a bit, wondering about his next step. He was never known to use too many words. "Kiss me." _

"_E-eh?! Are you serious?" It only took a single look to answer that question. "B-but-" _

"_If you don't want to uphold your end of the bet-" _

"_Fine! Just… give me a second…" A deep breath and a determination that the other was infamous for masked the nervousness in the other's fingers. The blurred figure took steps towards him, the outline slowly sharpening, the haze dripping away ever so slowly. _

_He waited as the other leaned towards him, the scent of the ocean wafting over his senses. His hair would be the rising sun, his eyes would be a soft, delicate blue – a blue he knew so well. A sudden gulp and then a gasp, breaths mingling together. Lips touched childishly, a soft caress that was inexperienced and innocent. They parted with flushed cheeks and ragged breaths, not from the intensity, but from the build up to that moment. _

_It was a while before either spoke, each lost in their own thoughts. The other dared a glance at him. "Ne, Sasuke?" _

_The voice sounded smaller than he was used to, timid in an inexplicably adorable way. _

"_Yeah, Dobe?" The pout again, but this time when he looked, he could put a taste to those lips. _

"_I thought I was supposed to do the kissing." A cheeky grin slowly morphed onto the other's face, the tension quickly dissipating._

"_Next time… Naruto." _

**ooooo**

"-remember you. Out of everyone, I would've placed my money on Iruka." The familiar voice of the Hokage filtered through his groggy mind. "I guess I underestimated how strong your relationship with him was."

"So what are we going to do about him?" He couldn't pinpoint the owner of the voice, but he was sure he had heard it before. He held in the groan he knew would've escaped his lips from the pain. It felt like needles were piercing through his head and, if he didn't know better, he would say it was true.

"I'm not sure. I didn't expect to run into this… issue so soon." Whatever the two were discussing, the tension in the room was high and almost suffocating. There a silence in the room, but the tension stayed. It was as if the other two occupants were discussing something without verbalizing it. "Before you leave, I have something to ask you." The only indication of the other's planned departure for Sasuke was the abrupt breeze from a now opened window. "What was he to you?"

There was a pause and Sasuke could feel eyes burning on him. He knew it was that other man. His finger twitched slightly, wondering if he should alert them to his presence. But he wasn't sure if the man would answer the question. Given the place they were speaking, the 'he' the Hokage had mentioned must be Sasuke.

"I love him." If Sasuke wasn't trying to conceal his consciousness, he was sure he would have fallen over from the confession. He began to doubt whether or not the subject of those affections were truly him. Maybe he had woken up during a conversation regarding someone else and they just both happen to be in his hospital room talking about it. Even Sasuke knew that sounded absurd. The fact alone that the Hokage and this other man were in his hospital room was no coincidence.

Sasuke could still feel the presence of the other man since he wasn't even trying to conceal it. Daringly, he opened his eyes slightly and caught the glimmer of white from the familiar man's mask. It was Phoenix. So maybe the conversation had been directed at someone else, and he was just there to check on him since he was also probably the one who brought Sasuke to the hospital in the first place. Sasuke felt a hard lump form in his chest from the thoughts.

"So what do you plan on doing now?" If the Hokage knew of his consciousness, she didn't bother to comment on it, continuing the conversation with Phoenix.

"Probably going away for a bit." The casual tone of the voice didn't portray the hidden meaning behind the words.

Startled, the Hokage quickly stood, fists clenched at her sides. "You don't have to run this time. It's over. It's all over."

"I'm not running." A sigh managed to escape the ANBU's lips, a tired slouch evident in his shoulders. "After all this time, do you really think it's going to be that easy? I've betrayed them all."

His voice lingered off, no louder than a whisper. And in it, a deeply buried pain was springing up, laced with an untold story. Sasuke felt the pressure again, pressing harder in his chest. But his eyes didn't dare look away from the figure perched on his windowsill.

"Where are you going?" Tsunade smiled sadly, her eyes taking an interest in a crack on one of the tiles.

"Tsunada-sama, you know that answer all too well." With a final look of resignation, he was gone, the sway of the curtains being the only evidence of his presence.

"Sasuke," the Hokage began, eyes still trained to the ground. "How much do you know?"

Sasuke forced himself all the way up into a sitting position, propping his pillow so he could rest his head on it. "I had a dream. I was fighting, not seriously, but for training purposes, I suppose. I was younger, maybe six or seven years. And in it was another person, another man. He had blonde hair, blue eyes, whisker marks across his cheeks…. Much like Phoenix," He added as an afterthought, glancing up at the blonde woman for any reaction, but there was none. "It was Naruto. I called him Naruto. He was so alive, so real in this dream. But I've never met him before. Because he died before I could."

The Hokage glanced up, watching the words flow freely from the Uchiha's mouth. She knew he could see it, she knew that the wall was slowly crumbling. It was finally happening. This moment had finally come.

"But the strange part is… that in the dream, I was talking, but I couldn't control what I was saying. It was like it was rehearsed. And even before it happened, I knew. I knew what was going to happen," Sasuke paused again as he pieced the puzzle together in his head. He locked eyes with the Hokage, as if trying to expel the truth from her eyes. "It was more like a memory than a dream. Why is that, Hokage-sama?"

Another sigh escaped the older blond woman's lips, as she rubbed at her temple, the age finally showing on the seemingly-timeless woman. She closed her eyes and resigned herself to the situation. The stern look in her opened eyes was still fierce, but tired. She was finally tired of this game. "Fine. But I'm only going to say this once so listen well. Uzumaki Naruto isn't dead."

That single statement played around in Sasuke's head, the whole history of the village seemed to now be up for grabs. For as long as he can remember, every year a festival was thrown in honor of the fallen hero. And now, as the Hokage had so plainly put it, that fallen hero is not quite as fallen as everyone thinks. How does one hide the Kyuubi-holder after all of these years? Even so, his false death didn't explain the dreams.

"I'm getting there. I thought Uchiha's were known for their patience," the Hokage playfully added, before turning serious again. "You should know Naruto very well, actually. Because he was a part of your team. He was your teammate, Sasuke."

A flash of yellow passed over Sasuke's eyes, blurring his vision for a second. He shook it off and nodded for the Hokage to continue.

"About five or six years ago, trouble started occurring. Those who desired the Kyuubi started getting bolder with their attempts. Using Naruto's kind nature against him, they threatened him with kidnappings, rapings and slaughtering of civilians, all for the sake of getting the fox. They knew attacking Naruto head on wouldn't accomplish much since his wounds would heal in no time and he was getting stronger with each passing day. But targeting the village Naruto loved most certainly did the trick. Naruto's reputation with the village was already fragile and with everything that was happening, it wasn't hard for the villagers and many fellow shinobi to turn against him. They started treating him even worse, pushing him to his limits. His house was vandalized countless time and he received death threats on the regular. He could barely walk the streets without being ridiculed or harmed. He would continue to smile and refused to raise a hand to anyone. It was to the point where I had to send him away on missions just to give him some peace, but even then, he was being hunted down."

A strained smile and eyes full of misery flashed through his mind.

The angered look on Sasuke's face reminded Hokage of all those years back, like nothing had changed. She reached out and placed her hand on Sasuke's. "I'm not finished yet, so listen closely."

Sasuke numbly nodded, not sure what else to do. "Even after all that, he never broke. It was thanks to you all his friends – you, Sakura, Hinata, Shikamaru, all of you guys – who defended Naruto until the very end. But the final straw happened when a surprise attack targeted Sakura when your team was sent out on a B-rank mission. She miraculously survived, and was hospitalized for a week and had to go through physical therapy for the next year."

Hokage leaned back, trying to shake away the gruesome image of the badly broken Sakura that day. It was a miracle she had survived and another that she can now walk and move like nothing's happened. She remembered the blood that covered Naruto, his hands shaking as he carried her. It could've been the shock of the moment, but his chakra was so dangerously depleted from battling and healing, the Kyuubi's remaining chakra was the only thing keeping him standing. It wasn't the blood that disturbed Tsunade the most. It was his eyes then, looking so dull, so dead, every aspect of his brilliant being had been taken in that moment. He had muttered under his breath a mantra of apologies to the bleeding woman in his arms, tears slowly dripping from those broken eyes, fists white from the grip he had on the woman who he considered as close as blood.

"Naruto came up with a plan, a brilliant one. He departed for a few months, making sure never to stay in the same place in case he was being tracked. He had dyed his hair black and wore brown contacts to conceal him. In that time, I used a forbidden genjutsu. Instead of just being an illusion, it's a lot deadlier and more permanent. It's like a seed. When planted correctly, it grows and grows, spreading its seeds to steadily multiply. Instead of a plant, I use a false memory." Tsunade paused, knowing that at this point, there was no turning back.

A memory of familiar childish blue eyes crossed over Sasuke's mind.

"How he found out about that particular jutsu is a mystery to me. But I digress. The memory was of Naruto not surviving after the Kyuubi was sealed with him when he was an infant. And when he dies, Kyuubi dies. Once the brain recognizes this as the truth, the existence of Naruto in future memories dissipates and the brain molds new plausible memories to fill in the empty holes. The mind is certainly a powerful tool."

An image of a smiling blonde boy flickered before his eyes; the whisker marks across his face making him seem so fox-like.

"The seed is distributed by word of mouth, causing a cascading effect. From that point on, Uzumaki Naruto was considered deceased and he would be praised as a hero rather than hated as a demon. The real Naruto would return some point afterwards with a new identity and he could live his new life without fear."

The determined voice of the other paired with a playful grin filled his senses.

"Until now of course. There is a loop hole with this genjutsu. The closer you are to the subject, the harder it is to conceal the memories. Those memories are never completely erased. Instead, they merely live in the background, hidden by the newly made memories."

The now mature Naruto stood before him like a ghost that he swore if he reached out, he could touch him.

"In your case, Sasuke, your subconscious was trying to fight the genjutsu to the point where it took a physical toll, hence the headaches and the chest pain. In your most vulnerable moment, your unconsciousness, your body was actually pushing the true memories to the forefront."

The blonde haired woman studied Sasuke for a minute, noticing that his eyes were looking straight through her. She had placed a lot of information on him at one time, but it had to be done. She stood up and leaned over the other, amused by the shock look that filled the usually expressionless face.

"Sasuke," she treaded with her words slowly, not wanting to push the man over the edge. The genjutsu was completely released and she had to make sure it unraveled away from him slowly. "What was Naruto to you?"

It was then all of Sasuke's senses were at the mercy of the onslaught of memories and sensations: Blonde hair, blue eyes, whisker cheeks, that idiotic grin, the lonely smile, the scent of the ocean, the angry eyes, the self-loathe, the sincere smile, the messy tears, the determination, the purity, the pain, the voice.

The taste of his lips. The taste of his tears. The look in his eyes that spoke more than words could ever convey.

Everything that Sasuke had long forgotten about Naruto was coming at him at once. It felt like he was being torn from within, his heart hammered against its cage. He gasped for air, wondering why he couldn't get enough. His throat felt dry, his hands clammy and the walls around him felt like they were crashing. It was too hot, but the hairs on his arms stood on end.

And just as quickly as it came, it stopped. He clutched at his heart, the pounding easily felt and his heavy breathing filling his ears. He took a few deep breaths, not sure of the state he was in.

"Where is he?" Sasuke rasped out, the unfamiliar feeling of determination filling his insides. "Where is my dobe?"

**ooooo**

How long had it been? How many years had they wasted? These were the thoughts that raced through Sasuke's mind, as his feet moved just as quickly, searching for any spot of blonde he could see.

Sakura's yelling still rang in his head, as his quick departure from the hospital window startled the green-eyed kunoichi who happened to walk in at the same time. He didn't have time to stop and explain; hopefully leaving that task to Tsunade so he wouldn't have to deal with it later.

Everything the Hokage had revealed sounded crazy, a plan that only Naruto could concoct and convince the woman to follow through with. Sasuke cursed himself for falling victim to such a plan so flawlessly that he wasn't sure what was more infuriating: being tricked just like every else or at Naruto for pulling off such an arrangement. One thing was for sure, when he did find the blonde, he would make him regret his decision.

Sasuke's feet dashed across the rooftops, no sign of the Kyuubi-holder anywhere. After finally discovering the truth, Naruto was nowhere to be seen. Over the horizon, the sun was beginning to set and soon nightfall would take over. Finding the blonde idiot would be near impossible then. Exhausted from the exertion he had put his newly recovered body through, Sasuke collapsed in front of the abandoned Uchiha estates. He wasn't sure how he had arrived at this destination, but his tired body didn't refute it. His previous perception of his absence from this place was that he had grown tired of the massive space that his single body couldn't possibly occupy. He had opted for a single person apartment in a complex where many of his fellow shinobi took residence. However, with his actual memories back, he knew the current existence of his childhood home in his life.

He pried himself up from the ground and slowly crept towards the main door, reaching a single hand out before crashing the door open as if waiting for an enemy on the other side. However, nothing resided behind it. Sasuke let out the breath he had been holding in, the disappointment welling inside. He trudged further in, ignoring the memories that began to resurface. Even after all this time, he could still remember clearly the many bodies that littered these floors. The haunted eyes, the bloodstained ground, the grotesque limbs skewed about. It was gruesome, but his childish eyes couldn't look away. He knew then how those images would burn so deeply into his flesh, haunt his every waking moment.

He shook those thoughts aside, before stopping before another door. With little hesitation, he pushed aside the impending door, expecting to see the same bodies that, after so many years, would be replaced with dust, cobwebs and the weeds growing through. But instead, the room was as spotless as he remembered it: the bed cleanly made, the curtains tied open to reveal the clear windows and the floor absent of a single tarnish. He treaded carefully, amazement shining straight through his eyes.

'He couldn't have…' Sasuke's thoughts trailed along with his eyes, taking in every single inch of the room. This was his room, the room he had as a child. This was the room that harbored all of his hatred, his anger and his sadness. This room served as his sanctuary and his prison. And over time, this room had somehow become-

"This was the only place I couldn't leave behind," the voice was unnervingly calm, coming from behind him. Sasuke tensed, but the deep vibrato of the other's voice settled him into familiar memories. Memories he had once cherished and now realized how deeply he had missed them. "I was going to leave, but I had to visit this place before I did. Because this is the place that we…"

He wanted the other to continue, but silence took reign over the room, grasping at the other's throat.

"Why?" was the only word the dark-haired man managed to whisper out, the presence of the other affecting him more than he'd like to admit.

"I had to." The curt reply came, leaving no indication of further explanation. Sasuke turned to face the other man, glaring hard at the mask still firmly in place.

"You didn't-"

"I had to, Sasuke." The tone was harsher, this time in warning not to push. To Sasuke, it was a challenge. If he wanted to do anything to the other in this moment, it was to push.

"I could've helped."

"No." The stubbornness was easy to detect, his voice trembling, trying to hide the growl beneath it. "This was my battle."

Now it was Sasuke's turn to be enraged. His battle? This entire time, it was _his_ battle? "You're not alone." He gritted his teeth, hoping his voice wouldn't give away his frustration. "I could've helped! Why didn't you let me help you? Why didn't you let any of us help you?! You… you shouldn't have done something so idiotic! You're just running away in the worst way possible!"

The air rushed out of him and his back slammed into the wall, the groan from the aged wood sounded behind him. His cringed at the pressure on his wrist with his arms pinned at the sides of his head. He focused on the feel of the hot breath coming from man in front of him. The scent of the ocean wafted into his senses and the heat from the hands holding him spread through his skin. It was so familiar, so right again.

"I… couldn't..." The voice was resigned, defeated against his opponent. "I couldn't risk it… I didn't want to see it anymore. I couldn't."

Sasuke knew that when it came to this man, he was utterly defeated. He cautiously pulled one of his wrists out of the other's grasp and felt the rough surface of the ANBU mask that disguised the face beneath it. Sasuke wondered how that face looked and felt now, if it was exactly as he remembered. He paused before gently lifting the mask. He could already feel the warmth radiating from it. He let it go, the lonely tap of the mask against the floor lost to them both.

The caramel skin felt as smooth as he remembered, the only blemish being the scars across his cheeks. But it wasn't his skin he wanted to take in the most; it was those indescribably blue eyes. A smile littered his face, glad those blue eyes were still the same. How many years had he been watching those blue eyes mature?

Right now, they looked so tired. Those blue eyes slowly took in Sasuke's face with such intensity like he was burning the image of the other into his memory. Those blue eyes looked away in shame.

"I couldn't lose you, Sasuke." He felt the blonde's shoulders sag and the weight of the body before him slowly melt into his. Sasuke wrapped his arms around the tired man, letting the blonde hair, brilliant even in the dark, tickle at his chin.

"I know Naruto, I know." He closed his eyes, letting everything about the blonde fill his senses. He never wanted to forget about him again. It was one thing to forget, but to be forgotten. Sasuke didn't want to even think about the pain Naruto had to endure.

"I'm okay, Sasuke." The hint of a chuckle in Naruto's voice caused Sasuke to loosen his grip, but only slightly. He was never letting go of his blonde again. Without realizing his body's motions, Sasuke's hand started to run through Naruto's hair, the softness of it enthralling him. A happy hum drifted from the blonde's throat, a gentle air flowing around them.

Naruto pulled away slightly, looking into the eyes of the other. Sasuke could never escape from those eyes and, right now, he never wanted to escape them. The other tilted his head slightly, before building up his resolve and leaned his head forward, eyes closed.

The innocent touch against his lips reminded Sasuke of the other's timidity. Sasuke smiled, wondering how some things really never changed. He grabbed at Naruto's hips and pressed his lips firmly against the other's before they could pull away. The chaste kiss turned lustful, tongues probing around to rediscover forgotten caverns. A wanton moan escaped the shorter one's mouth when Sasuke's hands snaked themselves around, trailing further down to grasp tightly against the flesh.

"Missed me?" A devilish smirk spread across his face, as he enjoyed the shiver that ran through Naruto when his hand clenched down firmly again and his teeth grazed against the blonde's sensitive neck.

Sasuke cringed at the nails digging into his shoulders, as he lifted the blonde up and moved them over to the bed. He gently lied Naruto down, before letting his eyes run freely across the blonde beneath him. He was as beautiful as he remembered, the light flush across his cheeks and the lust glazed over his blue eyes was something he wished to engrave into his memory forever.

"Beautiful…" The blush intensified across Naruto's face, even when he tried to hide his embarrassment in the sheets below. Sasuke's hand cupped his scarred cheek and forced him to look forward. "You are beautiful."

"Sasuke…"

The rest of the night moved in a blur, their clothes strewn about the room and they both let the passion take over. It was blend of fervor and desperation, each lost in the reminiscence of the other's body. There weren't enough hands for touching, not enough skin to taste. Their lips roamed hungrily across each other, hungry for more of the salty sweetness.

Sasuke slid slowly into the blonde he considered perfection, the sensation of the pressure sending his mind reeling. Naruto's body felt molded to fit him. It felt so right here with Naruto. The desperate whimper that escape those luscious lips confirmed the blonde's desires, as Sasuke slowly pulled out, only to force his way back in. And just as slowly, Sasuke moved again and again until Naruto's eyes opened up, an animalistic gleam in them, the pleading turning into a demand for more. He took a firm hold on the tanned hips below him and pounded into the smaller frame below him over and over. The sound of flesh beating against flesh was sin to his ears, but the sensations burned through him. Each time he slammed down, the throaty groan that escaped Naruto's lips invigorated him to push harder and faster.

He felt the clench of Naruto's muscles, the strain almost painful, until at last, the release came. He clenched his eyes shut, the ecstasy wallowing around him in a warm embrace. His muscles twitched once more, before he collapsed down, letting his body roll off the blonde's. He struggled to regain his breath, his haggard breathing matching his companion's. After catching his breath, Sasuke found a clean cloth to wipe them both down, the smell finally registering in his head. He opened a window, letting the crisp night air sift through the room. Satisfied, Sasuke laid himself down on the bed. As soon as he had, a puff of golden yellow hair found its way to the crook of his neck, settling further in search of warmth from the wind.

"What are you going to do from here?" Naruto stifled a yawn, before closing both his eyes. One blue eye peeked open angrily after receiving an irritating pinch to his arm. "I asked you a question, dobe."

"Don't worry about it. There's always a plan B." Deciding the matter to be solved, the blonde turned over, quickly falling into the depths of sleep. Sasuke let out a sigh and gave in, the tiredness of today's events quickly catching up to him.

If there was one thing Sasuke remembered about Naruto, there was always a plan B.

**ooooo**

"This was his Plan B," he said incredulously, knowing he really shouldn't be in this much disbelief.

"I know it's not exactly the best solution…" If the Hokage was embarrassed, she definitely hid it well.

"Not the best solution? It's not even a plan B!" Sasuke wasn't sure who the bigger idiot was right now: Naruto for thinking up of this "Plan B" or the Hokage for going along with it. Or him for even trusting his dobe to fix everything. "And why would you ever go along with this?"

"Seemed amusing enough." The grin that played so innocently across her face made Sasuke question whether or not she was related to Naruto.

"Hey Sasuke!" Just the blonde he wanted to see.

"How is this Plan B?!" Sasuke exploded, wondering where all the sanity had gone.

"Well, I didn't want to have to sit and explain everything. Then Sakura might hit me, and her punches aren't to be taken lightly." Naruto grimaced at the thought of being hit by the pink-haired kunoichi. "So this is my Plan B!" The cheeky grin on his face was filled with so much pride, Sasuke wanted to smack it right off.

If anything, Naruto's brilliant "Plan B" was nothing but a revamped version of his Plan A. Naruto and Tsunade had apparently discussed this beforehand. If anyone had broken the genjutsu, then Tsunade and Naruto would both perform it once more. Only this time, the new genjutsu would give Naruto a new identity.

"From now on, you are Uchiha Naruto." Tsunade crinkled her forehead, testing out the sound of the awkward name on her tongue, before shaking her head. "Just doesn't sound right, but I'll have to get used to it. You too, Sasuke."

"Take care of me, ne, Oniichan?" Naruto elbowed at the dark-haired shinobi, a childish smile playing out on his lips.

He let out a sigh, unsure of whether he should be regretting this moment or not. Naruto's brilliant Plan B was to give him the identity as Sasuke's younger brother. With the Uchiha name attached to him, Naruto wouldn't have to face any hateful stares from the villagers. His name wouldn't be peculiar either, as he was named in honor of their savior 'Uzumaki Naruto'.

"Why couldn't you have done something like this from the start?" Sasuke asked, trying to keep himself calm and take in the changes.

"It's hard enough to convince a population of a false memory. Two would most likely become a failure. And after the first one is embedded, you need to wait a while before you can introduce a second," Tsunade explained offhandedly.

"You still haven't solved anything. You're just making things more complicated." Sasuke sighed once more, before giving in to the two blondes.

"We're not trying to solve my problems," the blonde man grumbled. "I'm just trying to protect you."

A soft smile crept up onto the raven-haired man's face, his eyes turned sincere when they landed on the other. It was just like him. He stretched a hand out and ruffled the gentle golden locks of the others, reveling in the softness. Maybe having him for a brother wouldn't be so bad. At least then they wouldn't need an excuse to be together.

"It's weird to be named after myself," Naruto chuckled, staring down at his new ID card. "Ne, Sasuke, it's like we're married." Sasuke froze, heat spreading across his face. Sometimes, the blonde was too naïve to realize what he says sometimes. "What's wrong, Sasuke?"

"You can say some pretty dangerous things sometimes." The infamous Uchiha smirk came out to play, a lecherous gleam in those dark obsidian eyes. "Shall we go home and consummate our new found bond, Otouto-chan?"

"Okay, Sasuke!" Naruto beamed up at the other so innocently, Tsunade almost felt sorry for him. Almost. Maybe she should at least warn him.

"Naruto?"

"Hai, Baa-chan?"

"Make sure to use protection. And try to be on top sometimes." The confused stares that followed made laughter erupt from her mouth. She needed to spend less time with Jiraiya. As she watched the retreating backs of the two men, she could only stare at the dark looming clouds in the once clear sky. Small black specks began to move, the distant call of crows sending a shiver down her spine.

'A bad omen, huh?' She knew Sasuke was right. This wasn't a solution to their problem. She shook her head. 'When the time comes, then we can deal with it.'

"For now, we'll enjoy this semblance of peace. "

**ooooo**

Note: So I kept writing and didn't know how to end this. I thought: why not end this in the worst way possible – with a sort of cliffhanger. I don't know if I really intend to continue. Maybe somewhere in the future, but right now, I'd like to work on something new. Anyone is free to make a sequel of sorts. I have a new story idea already in the works, so I'm going to focus on that. Please leave a comment if you want. Thank you for reading.


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